English Standard Version

King James Bible

1Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;

3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer.

8He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

9The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

11Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

11If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

12If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

13My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

13My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home;

15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

16for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

18lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked,

19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

20for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,

21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

22for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

23These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.

23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

25but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.

25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.

26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

27Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

28Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,

30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.

32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.